Caligo eurilochus (mariposa buho)

Butterfly Park (Mariposarium) de Castelló d'Empúries.
Kodak EasyShare p712. Raynox DCR-250

Imágenes de Pere Soler. Su galeria en Flickr(Braid44)

Kingdom: Animalia (Animals)
Phylum: Mandibulata (Invertebrates)
Class: Insecta (Insects)
Order: Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Family: Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies | Admirals, Fritillaries, Emperors, Satyrs and Milkweeds)
Subfamily: Brassolinae (Owl Butterflies)
Genus: Caligo
Species: eurilochus

Especie nocturna. A la luz del día, se defiende de sus depredadores abriendo las alas que imita bien la cara de un buho (de ahí su nombre). Mariposa de aproximadamente 77 a 91 mm de longitud alar. La superficie ventral presenta varios ocelos, con dos de mayor tamaño que asemejan los ojos de un buho. La larva se alimenta de hojas de plantas comunmente llamadas platanillos y otras; Calathea latifolia, Heychium sp., Heliconia latispatha, Musa sapientum.
Los adultos se alimentan de frutas en descomposición de especies como Cecropia spp., Dypterix spp., Brosimun alicastrum, Ficus insipida y Licania arborea.
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Caligo eurilochus is not only interesting because of its giant size, the "owl eyes" on the undersides of the wings are its most striking feature.
Closely related to the Morpho butterflies of South America this very large species is attractive. When disturbed, the butterfly exposes its "owl eyes" to the would be predator which are often small insect eating animals that are themselves preyed upon by owls and have a healthy respect for anything that resembles an owl.
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